Elevator control device



Jan. 24, 1933. LINDSTROM 1,895,253

ELEVATOR CONTROL DEVICE Filed July 13, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 v INVENTQR m 0 Y K MW ATTORNEY Jan. 24, 1933- N. o. LINDSTROM' ELEVATOR CONTROL DEVICE.

Filed July 13, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 3

ATTORN EY Patented Jan. 24, 1933 twe STATES PATENT OFFICE mLsfoaLmnsTnoM, onnUmLnY, NEW JESSEY, assrenon won. 3. SEE

1 oomrany, me, A CORPORATION OF. DELAWARE ELEVATOR ELEVATOR CONTROL-DEVICE I p I My invention relates to elevator control -devices'gand particularly-to control devices including automatic-means, adapted to man- -ual"control,' for bringingan elevator car to anac c'uratestOp at a desired floor level. My finve'n'tion provides a simple, mechanically rugged-device for the above purpose, which contains a minimumnumberofmoving parts of the most'simple, durable character, and: a

*mi'rfiniurn num be'rof ielectrical circuits and 'membersF" Elevators are= now' con'structed' for operatie-n by electric power, which-iscontrolled,

through the agency of a carcontroller lever,

by nieans' of contactors and such like devices, anelectrical motor being" connected with the winding {hints' 'for 5 the 'a'ctuation'thereof, 'fand the "operation 0f the motor, 1 including choice-of fiireetinh of oplration is controlled by appropriate circfiits; tomes, and resist anc's'z' 5 e "simpler? ystems depend entirely up on the udgmejilt of the operatorifor the Thinking er, accurate steps at the various"; door i5 levels, are require "either ithat he develop ggfeatskill injmovin'g the control lever at'the pie'peepbi t imam car travel, or' that*- he finch "the ear-after making thestop, to level it olf wan the desired floor-L Such"man'ua1 iliandlingof the bat hasfho'wevejr', been'found nnsafi'stactqry; because of I the fact that it ever, have been iinsati sf actoryl, because of the complexity of, the -"devic"es,' because of the high cost thereof, and because 'offthe' fact that they p roduc e,'when so operated; no increase in average speed overthafiobtainable by ordinary nianual ioperation. it

My invention. provides a simple, inexpensive device; adapted to be included inthe 11sual elevator 'conti'olcircuits, with a rninimum change; therein, which 3 functions. at the operr ators will,to .sto p'the elevator car, automatically and accurately at desired floor level.

My invention utilizesth'e well known and long used cam and lever device,= -previously embodied in 'shaftway limit stops, in abroadly'new combination, and fora broadly new =purpose.:-= My invention providesa pluraility of pairs ofwedge cammembers, appropriately positioned v within the elevator shaft, in suitable relation with the variousflom levels. Upon the elevator car'is mounted a device containing mechanical contactor inembers,

magnet members, and 'cam' 'r'ol'ler' and lever members,'adaptedto cooperate with theshaftway cam' members. Thel auxiliary device remains jina'ctive *until the -opera'tor desires to mak'e an automatic stop,wh'er'eupon by 'appropriate'means he energizes-circuits and 1 a magnetic-latch device therein, "which brings the lever members intoiplay, whereafter by engagement with the shaftway cams, the-contact'or members are actuated, and thecircuits 'ch'anged to' produce astop; the actuating cams being "so set as to bring thecar to' rstat the desired" pointi may be dhne in a single step, or may be done inaseries of steps', 'pro.-

we ing for su'ccessivedegfees' oi slowing'down' "of the eaw The "card and lever "members are rugged; durableywell tried pieees' of mechani'srjr; having been widely used-for'limit' stops, at ;top and bottom of the elevator 'shaftway.

" The controller'membersand-contacts likewise jare old andwell known and well developed em ee {similarl the magnetic lockmemhers are? simple and rugged? The combina- 'tioni's,' lioweven'broadly new, and its function is likewisebroadly new, never-to my knowledge havingfbeeng previously'so used';

" Accordingly, hythe device-of myinven- 'tion, I pi ovi'de'a new and useful means where- "by a rapid accurateautomatic stop is made "at desired floor'level,atthe operators will,

by a very simple, rugged controlling device, "and whereby a proportionately rapidstart may thereafter be made by the same devices. 'fMy device likewise consists entirely of tried "and proven parts, Well developed for'the purposes intended and of the utmost durability. Other objects and structural detailsof'my invention will be apparent from the following description when'read in connection with the "accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 3 is a topplan View. ofithelsarne'device and Fig. 4 is a side view of the samedevice:

closed in'a suitable -protecting case.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary-sectionaleleva-" tion of the controller lever. Referring to the drawings,"I'provide, as shown, an elevator car l adaptedto vertical motion in a shaftway between guides 2. The Y "car 1 issu'pported-fby cables 3-passing over sheaves to a counterweight 5, and operated by a mot0r.6.;: Y Ar-car controller '7 isprovided, connected-by. appropriate I circuits -cooperat- -ing;-with v= .apliropriate; controller. devices, :"t0 the; motor ;6,,-whichcircuits will be later described in. detail.-- Arcana? and lever control- ,Cll'CHitgSWitChiilg: device 8 is provided, which may desi rablyebe mounted-.upo'n the top of .the. elevator car, on may be mounted-asdesired -.up0'n iother iconvenient. points about the car. The; car fifldjl'llQllOI'vIIlGIflbGIS c t-the device. of "my invention ;may I take any desired suitable :iormtiandymay be adapited-to operate upon directn current: I as;;s,hown, in the embodiment herein. disclosed-,-; or ..may jbe operated; upon alternating icurrentrby' any ;.of the well known systems, .or they/may takethe' form otthe s0- calledi 3 WardJJeonard ;system,;-.- or, any desir d; com iina io r.1,01:- .-m9di c 0. th r .Thec r switch-Emmydesira y-beofi a s and: Pattern; with the, incl s n if t e 6 arymodificati s ead ptl ten e w h vthe y imvinv nuon-sz-ta 52-;1 1 Gombined withi these-iusualelements is a wwmontrol-svfit hmemh -.8" Q L rth .d taiLimE gS-P-2, 3 Ddi F WII D- 0 st'ru iiQ i'oic hisicontrol-swit h member: a suitable? base plate v9-ris gprovidedq' upon which 2 are. mounted nprightmembers lQ adapted to ithe. upp' ntef P a-be r ng m r z p- -0nitl1ej bearings J41: are journalled pairs. of magnetic icircuit members fi and '14:. .These vmembers are adaptedytocooperateto formacompletemagnetic circuit,but.may have their ends separjated,-1tproducingpan; air gap m -therebetween, as' in'dicated g The. ends of the -members -l2 and.- 145,. at -the air -gap; m, are -;sunrounded=by magnetizingcoilslii and 15a which;are' appropriately mounted. upon supporting, plate members 16. To ,themembers :l iar'ei attached lever. arms 1,7 having roller members 18- journalled upon the free ends. 'T'olthe members 12. are. attached; arm members 19.havingt'quadrantportions 21 upon the free en'd'sithereof. Insulating sectors 22 are suitablyattached to. the-quadrants 21, and suitsue sets of contactor segments 24 are attached to then insulating; members 22 and by them,

As indicated, the upright members 10 extend to points above the portion supporting the pin bearing 11, and insulating members 25 are attached thereto. Suitable groups 26 of contactor fingers are attached to the insulating members 25, and cooperate with the contactor segments 24. V A cover member 27 is desirably provided, having openings for the passage of the lever members 17, and protecting themagnet and contact structures", as shown in Fig. 4. I Appropriate shaftway cam members 28 are provided as indicated, and attached to the shaftway by appropriate means, which may desirably permit of a limited amount of adjustment.- i

In the preceding description I have indi- 'cated as desirable, a construction including two. complete sets of magnetic-structures,

magnet coils, contact sectors, lever arms, etc.,

as wellv as pairs'of cam members 28;. J This I find to be apreferred embodiment, becauseof the. lighter service imposed upon the parts, since the respective sets are alternatively, ac-

tive for the stopsv respectively-in, an .upward or downward direction. My invention-.. i s howeveig'not. limitedto-such construction, as thenumber of. parts may be reduced by obviousmodificationsp. 1-

The cams g28 are adapted to be..mounted upon the shaftway structure, and to cooperate .witlrthe rollers 18 in such way that uponen- ;ergization-of one of; the magnetcoilsdfior @5411, the. members 12 and 14 .-are.drawn' and held-together by the action of the magnetic flux-,andthe roller 18,brought intogthe position -line-ofi-the ,cams" -28,-; so that when itemgages therewith, the members 12 and 14s are revolvedwith ,respectgto .the bearing 11", and the position of; the contact segments-.24, with respect to the contact fingers 261is. changed for 9 the appropriate j changing of circuits, in the elevator control system. .Whenever the magnet 15- or 15a is energized, themembers12 and 14 within the magnetizing coil'arefheld together so=as to be; movable on their pivotas a single .p iece,,bu t when the magnetiis deener .gized gravity causes themember- 14 to move into the position shown in F ig. 2.

The device ofFigs. 2,3, and tis desirably I;

appropriately mounted upon the top of the elevator car 1,.as shownin'Fig. 1. g r

.. The controller device .7 may: desirably take theform indicated. in the figures, comprising ai -lever .member.29 having a conducting ;quadrant 3 1 which may desirably be insu- .1ated.. theref rom.- Groups.oi contact fingers w32 and-33 are provided cooperating. with the sector 31, for the control of appropriate circu ts. The lever 29 is provided with an operating handle 34, which is desirably construotedfor a sliding movement parallel to the .axis 35 upon which the lever 29 is mounted, .Thehandlc. 34;, is secured to the insulated from/the quadrants2landarms 19. end-of a, rod 3% which is' s li l blvmo nted' in the lever 29. The rod 340 is provided with a radial projection 34?)- which is adapted to be received in a groove 29a in the lever and which when out of alignment with the groove holds the handle 34 in the position shown in Figure 5 against the action of a convolute spring 340 which acts against one side of the lever 29- and afiange- 34d formed on the rod 340;. The rod 34a is also provided. with a pin member 36 which in the position shown in Figure 5 is adapted to engage depressions in a locked plate 37, to prevent accidental movement thereof. When the projection 34?) is in position to be received in the groove 29a the pin member 36 on the rod 34a will be advanced to the position shown in broken lines, in which position it is adapted to actuate additional contact members 38 and 39.

A suitable control panel board member 41 is provided for cooperation with the motor .6. Upon the panel board 41 are desirably mounted a relay operated contactor 42 for closing circuits for the up (U) motion of the elevator car, and a,re1ay operated contactor 43 for closing circuitsforthe down motion. An automatic accelerating re:- lay operated contactor. 44 is also desirably mounted upon the control board, and also a high-speedfield-weakening relay operated contactor: 45. Appropriate resistances 46 and47 are likewise provided, and-mounted insuitable places,-which may be'the-back of the panel board or may be other suitable locations. r I

Appropriate circuits are provided between the various contacts of the controller 7,-the automatic stop device 8, thecontactors ,upon the panel board 41 and the motor 6.

Power, which in the embodiment chosen. for demonstration of the device of.my invention, may desirably be directcurrent, is provided through the leads 48. Connection is made from thepositive lead. through the wire 49 in the cable51 tocontacts a. in the controller 7. Connectionis also made from the wire 49 to one of each of the pairsv of contacts 38 and 39. A wire 52 is led from the contact bofthe controller 7 to one of the group of brushes 26 in the member 8, indicated at 53. The brush 53 bearsupon one ofthe group of metalsegments 24 indicated at 54, which makes contact with a second brush 55 of the group, to whicha wire 56 is connected and led to the energizing coil of the contactor43 for the down motion. A wire 57 connects the coil of the contactor 43 to the negative lead 48 thereby completing the circuit. A wire 58 is also led from the contact 0 in the controller 7 to a brush-59 of the group 26 in the device 8 which bears upon a sector 61 of the group 24. Another brush 62 of the group 26 bears upon the sector 61, and a wire 63 is connected thereto and led to the closing coil of the contactor 42. for the up motion. A wire 64 connects the 68 bears upon the sector 67 and is connected by a wire 69 to a brush 71 bearing upon the sector 72. Another brush 73 bears upon the sector 72 and is connected by a wire 74 to the opening coil of the high speed contactor '45.

A wire 7 5 connects the same coil to the negative lead 48 and completes the circuit. A wire 76 is led from the second one of the pair of contacts 38 to the coil 15 in the device 8, and the wire 77 is led from the second one of the pair of contacts 39 on the up side to the coil 15a in the device 8. The other terminals of the coils 15 and 1541 are connected together and to a wire 78 which connects to the negative lead 48 thereby completing the circuit.

Appropriate limit switches, door safety switches, and other similar safety devices are desirably provided in the device of my invention, but they may take the standard form, well known to those skilled in the art, and accordingly they are not shown in the figures. Likewise the customary electrically operated brake, which may desirably be of the solenoid type is incorporated inthe elevator mechanism, for the usual purposes.

also may take the usual form, and accordingly it is not herein described.

, In the operation of my devicethe operator chooses his direction of motion, up or down, and moves the elevator control lever 29 in the appropriate direction by pulling the handle 34forward to disengage the pin 36 from thelatch 37, and swings the lever to carry the sector 31 into engagement with the contacts. If he desires to, go downward, he swings the lever to the left, and the sector 31 engages with contacts a and b of the group 32. Current then flows from-the positive lead of the power supply mains 48 through the wire 49, the contact a, the contact b,the wire 52, the brush 53, sector 54, brush 55, wire 56, through the closing coil of .the contactor 43, and the wire 57 back to the negative power supply lead 48. J Energizavtion of the. contactor 43 closes its contacts and applies power through the leads, 81 and 82, and through the resistance 46, to the armature of the motor 6. The field of the motor. 6 is continuously energized through the leads 83 and 84. The closure of thecontactor 43 and the flow of current through the armature causes the motor to revolve, and the car to, move in the appropriate direction. As

the motor gains speed, the counter EMF the lever 29 to the limit of its travel, thereby bringing the sector 31 in contact with the contacts a, b and (Z; Current then continues to flow in the previously described circuit and also flows from the wire 49 through the contact a, the sector 31, the contact d, the wire to the brush 66, the sector 67, the brush 68, the wire 69, the brush 71, sector 72, brush 73, and the wire 74 to the coil of the contactor 45. Energization of the coil of this contactor opens its contacts, and inserts the resistance 47 in circuit with the field of the motor 6, thereby weakening the field and speeding up the motor, for the maximum speed.

The movement of the lever 29 and the handle 34-to full speed position, brings the pin 36 of the handle 34 over the contacts 38 on the down side. The operator can then make an automatic stop from the fullspeed position, by'pushing the handle 34 inward. Such movement of the handle causes the pin 36 to close the contacts 38. Current then-flows from thew-ire 49 through the down contacts 38, and the'wire 76 tothe magnet coil 15, from which it flows through-thewire 78 to the negative lead of the supply mains 48.

'Energization of the coil 15 pulls the members 12 and, 14 together, closing the air gap m, and bringing the roller 18 into a position to engage with the cam 28. As the elevator continues its travel, the roller 18 engages with the first, incline 0 of the cam 28 and is moved outward. The magnetic flux within the members 12 and 14, however, holds them together, and they accordingly swing as a unit under the drive of the cam 28 through the roller 18 and the lever 17 in a manner which is obvious, from the construction of the device, and carry with them the sector 21, and its attached contact segments. The movement of the roller along the incline 0 to the first land of the cam moves the sectors but a small amount, sufficient to bring the sector 72 from under the brushes-71 and 73, thereby opening the circuit of the contactor 45, allowing its contacts to close and short circuit the resistance 47, to strengthen the field of the motor 6 and reduce its speed. Thereafter the roller 18 travels along the incline p of the cam 28, carrying the sector 19 still further and moving the contact segner, to stop the car.

The stop is thus made under the control of the cam 28 which may be appropriately adjusted so that the stop occurs accurately at the corresponding floor level, thereby producing an accurate, rapid, automatic stop at the desired floor. The operator may then open the'door for the entrance or exit of passengers.

Thereafter without moving the controller lever from the full down position, he may resume travel in a downward direction by pulling the handle 34 outward, thereby opening the down contacts 38, de-energizing the coil 15, releasing the members 12 and 14, and permitting the sector 19 to resume its previous position, closing the circuits between the brushes 53 and 55, and 71 and 7 3. The completion of the contacts between the brushes 53 and 55 recloses the contactor 43, and supplies current to the motor 6, whereupon it starts, and the automatic accelerating relay 44 operates as before to bring the motor up to speed. Immediately after the closing of the circuit through the brushes 53 and 55, the circuit through. the brushes 71 and 7 3 is also closed, to energize the relay 45, and'weaken he field of the motor 6. A rapid start is thus obtained in the desired direction, and the car travels onward. A second stop may be made in a similar fashion, or a stop may be made by the usual movement of the controller handle to the middle position. I It is not necessary that the start he made with the handle in the full travel position after a stop in that position, but the handle may be returned to the neutral position immediately thereafter, and astart in the other direction or in the same direction be made in the same manner as the first start.

A similar sequence of operations occurs for starting in the up direction by movementof the controller lever to theother side. The same movement of the handle is required to release the lever, and a similar energi'zation of similar circuits occurs, for the closure of the contactor 42 for the up motion. The closure of this contactor supplies current to the armature of the motor 6 in the reverse direction, causing the motor to run accordingly. The motor accelerates in an exactly similar manner torunning speed, and may be accelerated to full speed by the full throw of the controller lever to engage the contact d as before. An automatic stop may similarly be made by closure of the up contact 39 through the' agency of the pin 36 attached to the handle 34. A similar set of circuits are brought into play for stopping the car. These circuits being similar to those previously described are readily followed upon the drawings.

A pair of the cam members 28 may be provided at each floor at which it is desired to make automatic stops, including both the top and bottom floors. Likewise the customary safety limit stops may be incorporated in the structure at the top and bottom of the shaft, as an added precautionary measure. It is, of course, not necessary that the cam 28 for stopping during upward travel be included at the bottom of the shaft nor is it necessary me t-53* that the cam 28 for downward movement be included at the top of the shaft. At intermediate floors, however, both kinds are required.

The device of my invention thus provides a simple, rugged, inexpensive device for automatically stopping an elevator at an accurately predetermined position, at the will of the operator. The disclosure shown is adapted to application to a manually operated elevator. It is, however, equally applicable to fully automatic, or push button control elevators, for the making of more accurate stops at the floor levels. The necessary changes for application in such a device are simple, and will be obvious to one skilled in the art.

While I have shown but a single modification of the device of my invention, it is adapted to other modifications therefrom, as previously suggested, and it is desired, therefore, that only such limitations shall be imposed thereon as are required by the prior art or indicated by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an elevator mechanism, a car controller having running contacts, a hand lever having an auxiliary member, and a stopping contact cooperating with the auxiliary member of the hand lever, and means cooperating with said stopping contact for the automatic stopping of said elevator at a predetermined point, comprising shaftway cams, a cooperating cam lever member, an auxiliary contact device and a magnet cooperating therebetween under the control of said stopping contact.

2. An elevator device, comprising an elevator car, winding gear, motor, and control device therefor, said control device compris ing a car lever, contacts cooperating therewith, a control switchboard connected there-' to, adapted to the control of the movements of said car, and an auxiliary automatic means for effecting a stopping and starting thereof, at the will of the operator, comprising auxiliary contacts cooperating with said controller lever and a circuit changing device connected thereto, and connected between said controller and said switch panel, comprising contactor segments and brushes, a roller lever, a magnet associated therebetween and connected to said auxiliary contacts, and cam members attached to the elevator shaftway, and

cooperating with said roller lever members.

3. In an elevator control device, a master lever positioned in the car and adapted to the control of the movements thereof, having an auxiliary member adapted to engage a contact when in the full throw position for the automatic stopping thereof, and stopping means comprising cam and lever members, and a magnet under the control of said auxiliary member and associated circuit switching means and controlling said lever membets r 4. In an elevator, a shaftway-cam, aswitch on the car for controlling the stopping thereof, a member movable into position for con-' tacting said 'cam,'and electromagnetic means for moving said member into such position and magnetically uniting it to said switch.

In an elevator, a shaftway cam, a switch on the car for controlling the stopping thereof, a member movable into position for contacting said cam, and electromagnetic means under control of the operator for moving said member into such position and magnetically uniting it to said switch.

6. In an elevator, a shaftway cam, a switch on the car for controlling the stopping thereof, a member movable into position for contacting said cam, and electromagnetic means for moving said member into such position and magnetically uniting it to said switch, said means being deenergized during the running of the car.

7 In an elevator, a manual controller on the car having low and high speed positions, an auxiliary car stopping switch on the car, a shaftway cam, and electromagnetic means controllable by the operator while the controller is in high speed position to cause said cam to operate said auxiliary switch to stop the car.

8. In an elevator, a manual controller on the car for closing a circuit to operate the car, an auxiliary switch on the car for opening said circuit, a shaftway cam, and electromagnetic means controllable by the operator while the controller is in running position to cause said cam to operate said auxiliary switch and stop the car.

9. In an elevator, a manual controller on the car for closing a circuit to operate the car, an auxiliary switch on the car for opening said circuit, a shaftway cam, and electromagnetic means controllable by the controller handle while the controller is in running position to cause said cam to operate said auxiliary switch and stop the car.

10. In an elevator, a manual controller on the car having low and high speed positions. an auxiliary car stopping switch on the car, a shaftway cam, and electromagnetic means controllable by the controller handle while the controller is in high speed position to cause said cam to operate said switch to stop the car.

11. In an elevator, a manual controller on the car having low and high speed positions, an auxiliary switch on the car, a shaftway cam, and electromagnetic means controllable by the operator while the controller is in high speed position to cause said cam to operate said auxiliary switch to stop and start the car.

12. In an elevator, a manual controller on the car for closing a circuit to operate the car,

an auxiliary switch on the car for opening and closing said circuit, a shaftway cam, and electromagnetic means controllable by the operator while the controller is in running position to cause said cam to operate said auxiliary switch to stop and start the car.

Inwitness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my signature.

NILS O LINDSTROM. 10 

